Chef Rio Hadipuryanto

Coming full circle from Indonesia to the Middle East and back again … The Yak sits down with Rio Hadipuryanto – Executive Chef at The Bay Bar & Grill at Karma Resort, Jimbaran.

Let’s cut to the basics of name, birthplace and erm… shoe size!

My name is Rio Hadipuryanto but you can call me Rio when I’m in full swing. I was born in Palembang, on the 14th of March, 1980 (Pac-Man era) and graduated from Bandung Institute of Tourism majoring in Food and Production… my shoe size?! Well, if you must to know it’s 43 … although it may vary depending on the continent in which I step.

Your first visit to Bali was when? And who were you with?

The gods first welcomed me in Bali back in 2001 when I did my traineeship at Patra Jasa hotel, aka The Patra in those days. A fun six months.

Any memory of that first visit?

It was a great experience for me to know about Balinese culture and I came to realize how Bali is rich in food and flavours, which I never knew before.

Cities you’ve lived-in and why?

I lived in Dubai for almost 10 years, the real bling bling town. Once again it was an eye opener for my career path, not just luxury but high standards of working along with culinary experts from all over the world.

Tell us more about your time in the Middle East?

I first landed working on the pre-opening team of a place any would be familiar with – On Fire or The Address Downtown hotel as Commis; then I stepped up to do another pre-opening but this time at the Pullman Hotel as Demi Chef, later moving on to what I classify as the pinnacle of my career when I joined Madinat Jumeirah for five years. While I was there I twice received bronze medals in international culinary competitions, which made it all worthwhile at the end.

Was it always a dream to come back to Bali and work?

Well, at some stage I had to grow up, right? Marriage knocked on my door in 2015 and then having baby twins not long after did the job. I just wanted to be close to my family, therefore I started looking for a job in Bali where there are lots of great resorts. A no brainer compared to other city’s opportunities in Indonesia.

Please tell us a bit more about what it is you are currently creating at The Bay Bar & Grill.

I want to make Karma Jimbaran one of the favorite dining experiences in Bali, especially in the Jimbaran area. The Bay is the real deal off the grill, that’s how I would describe it. Live cooking from Al Fresco kitchen featuring Tandoori oven and leaver BBQ adding an interacting factor to our guests. Nothing less than top quality meats and fresh seafood from the local market in Jimbaran.

What do you like about the products that you can get here?

The versatility and freshness of local ingredients to mix and match for my menu in The Bay Bar & Grill, local basil or kemangi.

Name your favourite herb.

Basil, rosemary and cinnamon.

Whose dish do you love to recreate and what is it?

Jumeirah’s lamb ouz, although I haven’t added to The Bay’s menu yet.

Where will you be eating on your day off?

After 10 years overseas I’m still finding my feet. The other day I tried Samasta in BaseBase restaurant (Balinese cuisine) from around the corner.

Favourite Indonesian restaurant, favourite dish and drink?

So far I haven’t got a favorite restaurant to honest, however I still love my home town cuisine as one of my favorites. I miss my mom’s dish “Pempek”. Delicious – created from fish and spicy. I might sound boring but for me you can’t beat a good Cappuccino or ginger ice tea.